Construction Specications Institute

The Construction Specications Institute (CSI) is an

organization that keeps and changes the standardization
of construction language as it pertains to building specications. CSI provides structured guidelines for specication writing in their Project Resource Manual, (formerly
called the Manual of Practice (MOP)).

ministered by the National Institute of Building Sciences

(NIBS), the NCS coordinates these CAD-related publications to allow consistent and streamlined communication
among owners and design/construction teams.
In November 2010, CSI acquired Building Systems Design (BSD) to help advance software tools for specications development and communication of building information across the building team. BSD is a software rm
that is a leading developer of commercial master specications and construction cost estimating software. BSD
is involved in the development and maintenance of several of CSI format documents including MasterFormat,
UniFormat, and OmniClass, all of which relate to
specications and cost estimating.

CSI authored MasterFormat, which is an indexing system for organizing construction data, particularly construction specications. For many years MasterFormat
consisted of 16 Divisions of construction, such as Masonry, Electrical, Finishes, or Mechanical. In November
2004, MasterFormat was expanded to 50 Divisions, reecting the growing complexity of the construction industry, as well as the need to incorporate facility life cycle and maintenance information into the building knowledge base. In this way, MasterFormat will eventually help
facilitate Building Information Modeling (BIM) to contain project specications. However, current technology
is unable to handle specications to the degree drawing
information is able to be referenced, displayed, quantied and other benets of BIM. For example integrated
systems, industry standards and methods that may not
be shown in the drawings (because they are typically explained in the specications) do not t neatly within current BIM libraries.

Founded in 1983, BSD maintains and supports advanced

specication writing, cost estimating and BIM interoperability products used by thousands of architects, engineers and design professionals nationwide.

1 See also
Specication (technical standard)

The MasterFormat standard serves as the organizational

structure for construction industry publications such as
the Sweets catalog with a wide range of building products, and MasterSpec, a popular specication software.
MasterFormat helps architects, engineers, owners, contractors, and manufacturers classify how various products are typically used. Nearly all CSI approved sections
also include performance and safety requirements generated by agencies such as the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM), Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), and numerous other federal and
professional organizations.

2 External links
CSINet Home
Construction Specications Canada, an organization
that co-authors certain documents with CSI
CSI acquires BSD

In November 2009, CSI launched GreenFormat, an online database organizing sustainable product attributes.
Manufacturers in the construction industry can list product information based on 5 categories in an online comprehensive questionnaire. Designers, speciers, and
building constructors can nd product information which
is organized by MasterFormat divisions and titles.
CSIs Uniform Drawing System comprises the largest
part of the National CAD Standard (NCS), together with
the American Institute of Architects (AIA)'s CAD Layer
Guidelines, and Tri-services Plotting Guidelines. Ad-

3 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

3.1

Text

Construction Specications Institute Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_Specifications_Institute?oldid=717457181

Contributors: SimonP, Klemen Kocjancic, TheParanoidOne, Dachannien, SR~enwiki, Dmacp~enwiki, Bart l, Jim Derby, Ahering@cogeco.ca, CmdrObot, Robone03, Cafemaster, Themfromspace, AnomieBOT, Birdiegt, DexDor, Swolfearch, Leslie.Hetherington,
MikeyMouse10, Bsdsoftlink, GregoryBernardo and Anonymous: 11

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Images

File:Question_book-new.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Question_book-new.svg License: Cc-by-sa-3.0

Contributors:
Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion Original artist:
Tkgd2007

3.3

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Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

16 Divisions
16 Divisions refers to the 16 divisions of construction,
as dened by the Construction Specications Institute
(CSI)'s MasterFormat. In 2004, MasterFormat was updated and expanded to 50 Divisions. The standard is
the most widely used standard for organizing specications and other written information for commercial and
institutional building projects in the U.S. and Canada. It
provides a master list of divisions, and section numbers
and titles within each division, to follow in organizing
information about a facilitys construction requirements
and associated activities. Standardizing the presentation
of such information improves communication among all
parties involved in construction projects.
MASTERFORMAT 1995 EDITION
Before November 2004, MasterFormat was composed of
16 primary divisions: there are now 50 divisions.
Division 01 General Requirements
Division 02 Site Construction
Division 03 Concrete
Division 04 Masonry
Division 05 Metals
Division 06 Wood and Plastics
Division 07 Thermal and Moisture Protection
Division 08 Doors and Windows
Division 09 Finishes
Division 10 Specialties
Division 11 Equipment
Division 12 Furnishings
Division 13 Special Construction
Division 14 Conveying Systems
Division 15 Mechanical
Division 16 Electrical
See 50_Divisions for the full list of divisions.

External links
CSIs Latest information on MasterFormat
Online updated version of MasterFormat

2 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

2.1

Text

16 Divisions Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_Divisions?oldid=692181347 Contributors: SimonP, Alan Liefting, ERcheck, Jim

Derby, Fraggle81, PM800, and Anonymous: 15

2.2

Images

File:Question_book-new.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Question_book-new.svg License: Cc-by-sa-3.0

Contributors:
Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion Original artist:
Tkgd2007

2.3

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50 Divisions
50 Divisions refers to the 50 divisions of construc Division 17 RESERVED
tion information, as dened by the Construction Speci Division 18 RESERVED
cations Institute (CSI)'s MasterFormat. Before 2004,
MasterFormat consisted of 16 Divisions."50 Divisions
Division 19 RESERVED
is the most widely used standard for organizing specications and other written information for commercial
and institutional building projects in the United States and Facility Services Subgroup:
Canada. and associated activities. Standardizing the pre Division 20 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXsentation of such information improves communication
PANSION
among all parties involved in time.
MasterFormat 2004 Edition Divisions are:

Division 21 Fire Suppression

PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS GROUP:

Division 22 Plumbing
Division 23 Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning

Division 00 Procurement and Contracting Requirements

Division 24 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

SPECIFICATIONS GROUP

Division 25 Integrated Automation

General Requirements Subgroup

Division 26 Electrical

Division 01 General Requirements

Division 27 Communications

Facility Construction Subgroup

Division 28 Electronic Safety and Security

Division 29 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Division 02 Existing Conditions

Division 03 Concrete
Division 04 Masonry

Site and Infrastructure Subgroup:

Division 05 Metals
Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites

Division 30 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Division 07 Thermal and Moisture Protection

Division 31 Earthwork

Division 08 Openings

Division 32 Exterior Improvements

Division 09 Finishes

Division 33 Utilities

Division 10 Specialties

Division 34 Transportation

Division 11 Equipment

Division 35 Waterways and Marine Construction

Division 12 Furnishings

Division 36 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Division 13 Special Construction

Division 37 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Division 14 Conveying Equipment

Division 15 RESERVED

Division 38 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Division 16 RESERVED
1

1
Division 39 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Process Equipment Subgroup:

Division 40 Process Integration
Division 41 Material Processing and Handling
Equipment
Division 42 Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment
Division 43 Process Gas and Liquid Handling,
Purication and Storage Equipment
Division 44 Pollution Control Equipment
Division 45 Industry-Specic Manufacturing
Equipment
Division 46 Water and Wastewater Equipment
Division 47 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
Division 48 Electrical Power Generation
Division 49 RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

References
Johnson, Robert W. (2004). Masterformat 2004
Edition: Master List of Numbers and Titles for the
Construction Industry. Alexandria, Va.: The Construction Specications Institute. ISBN 0-97623990-6.

REFERENCES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

2.1

Text

50 Divisions Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Divisions?oldid=727690929 Contributors: SimonP, Xezbeth, Woohookitty, Vegaswikian, Thane, SmackBot, Jim Derby, Gbaddorf, Bobblehead, Magioladitis, R'n'B, Scarlet.pirate, Jdcalhoun1, Erik9bot, Williwhy,
Mb66w and Anonymous: 13

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